Cost-cutting and Environmentally Friendly Changes to Make at Your Facility

When operating a commercial facility, you may not think much about how your business impacts the environment or about how much you spend on utilities. However, there are often many changes that can be made to commercial facilities that will save resources and also save you money on your electric bill. Whether it's a manufacturing facility, office complex, or warehouse, note a few changes you might consider for your building.

1. Install solar panels

Solar panels can help to reduce the amount of electricity you pay for, without interrupting your needed supply of electricity. Many building owners and homeowners are confused about how solar panels work, assuming that they won't have electricity on cloudy days or that solar panels somehow make electrical devices run slower.

In truth, your electrical supply is often hooked up to both solar panels and the city's electrical wiring so that you are never without power. Solar panels store the electricity they make, but if they should run low on power, you still have it available from the city. Using solar panels means less pollution is created by power plants that generate electricity from your local city, and you pay less for that electricity as well. For more information on commercial solar power, contact a local contractor. 

2. Install motion detectors on lights

Motion detectors hooked up to lights are a popular option for commercial complexes, and if they're not used in your building, it's time to consider them. Add these to the restrooms and kitchens in a cafeteria at the very least if there are no other areas of your building that get sparse traffic. They can ensure that lights are not being used after hours or when these rooms are empty. This will cut down on the amount of electricity you use and the amount of pollution created by all that power needed to create electricity.

3. Add film to the windows

A commercial building with large windows can be very attractive, especially for office workers who may not get out much during the day, but these windows can allow in sunlight that makes the office too warm during the day. These windows can also allow out cold air during wintertime.

If these windows are not double-glazed or made with thick glass, adding film to them can help maintain the inside temperature so that you use less electricity for heating and air conditioning. A film or glaze that reflects the sun's rays and acts as an insulator is an affordable way to cut back on utility bills year-round for any building with large windows.